Rants, Raves and Babblings, Argh!
Brief History of the Corset
Ahh, corsets; the well-hated fashion accessory has finally squirmed its way back into modern day fashion. Its tight laces, iron supports, and unbreathable countenance have earned a horrible reputation. For hundreds of years, women have been fantasized to look curvy, like an S. However, the ribs and spine got in the way. So what did humanity do? Invent the corset (and starvation diets). The origin of the corset is unknown. There are a few wall paintings in Rome depicting women wearing waist-cinchers. It gave women the curve they needed to entice men, as, without a spouse, women had no part of society. That is not to say that it was the men's fault. Women often did this to themselves by supporting this...
The Good Pirate – Black Sam Bellamy
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Semual_Bellamy_2013-11-03_20-08.jpeg Would you be surprised to know that not all pirates were evil scumbags? Well, I was certainly surprised! After careful research, I stumbled upon a pirate known as Black Sam Bellamy. He was the least feared pirate, and yet, he was still very successful. His crew admired him, and he was friends with some of history's most famous pirates! Black Sam Bellamy was such a good-hearted pirate that sometimes he would pay the enemy for what he took! His crew loved him, and called him the "Robin Hood of the Seven Seas." They called themselves "Robin Hood's Men." The team hated to kill other ships' crews, including other pirates, merchants, and sailors. They didn't torment people like other pirates. They also...
Did Pirates Speak Pirate?
"Avast ye scurvy dogs and swab the deck before I feed ye to the sharks!" Is what most people imagine a pirate to say after waking up on the wrong side of the bed. The typical pirate talk, elongated with extra ARRRRS and AHHOYS has made its way into accepted pirate movies, music, and even holidays. The worldwide 'Talk Like a Pirate Day' is beloved by some and ridiculed by most. But how does one talk like a pirate? And how do we know that pirates even talked like the way Hollywood and Disney portrays them to? Let's debunk this pirate myth! First off, there is no historical evidence that pirates spoke the traditional pirate talk. But, to be fair, there...
The Positions Pirates Held on a Ship
According to hundreds and hundreds of papers, books, and articles (roughly five, including illustrations), pirates were not the ruthless scumbags that Disney paints them as today. They were intelligent heartless scumbags, willing to kill for gold. But they also had moral laws, the pirate code, and individual positions that crew members could hold. Pirate crews were some of the earliest democratic parties, but since they robbed, pillaged and killed, this gave democracy a lousy reputation (a reputation that still taints democracy today). Still, some of the pirate crews were very successful, only losing a handful of men every day to fights, sickness, starvation, and stupidity. Today, we shall go over the positions pirates held while traversing the dangerous waters of the...
Buried Gold: Myth or Legend?
Wouldn't it just be incredible to one day be strolling along the beach and suddenly stumble upon an old wooden chest filled with 16th-century Spanish doubloons? Well, for most treasure hunters, that would be a dream come true! Especially if that particular chest came from an abandoned ship, or perhaps from a legendary place where a famous pirate buried his treasure. But did pirates bury their treasure? Let's debunk this famous myth! Logically, let's think about the concept of burying treasure before we hit the facts. First: Where did this idea come from? There are several historical books contain this idea. The most recognized of all is 'Treasure Island,' by Robert Luis Stevenson. But did you know that Washington Irving inspired...
The Life of a Pirate
The life of a pirate meant signing a contract in which you state that you'd agree to work for a certain amount of time. If you deserted during this time, you could get keel-hauled (tied to the ship, then dumped overboard so that you would drown or die from the wounds received), lashed by the crew, or abandoned on an island. If you decided to steal from the team, whether gold or rationed food, you were punished by choice of the crew or captain. There were very few doctors, and little or no medicine. The carpenter or the cook were often the ones who ended up amputating an arm or leg. It usually ended in death, but this death was preferable...
Humble Beginnings
When I first put the poem of Missy Black on paper, I had no idea how it would turn out. Years ago, it was merely a fun activity to share for a poetry reading at the local library. In a few short months, it became much more than that. But I am getting ahead of myself, aren't I? So, I shall start at the beginning and go on from there. One splendidly dull day, while searching for books that could improve my understanding of the world, at the district library, the head librarian informed me of a poetry-reading that was to take place within three weeks. Although she acknowledged that I was terrified of social settings, she became fixed that I should...